Darkness
by Wilma69
Summary: Daniel is trying to figure out where he belongs after he has descended.


TITLE: Darkness

AUTHOR: Wilma

EMAIL: .nl or on list

CATEGORY: Gen, H/C, Friendship, Adventure, Angst

RATING: PG13

SPOILERS: For Fallen, The other side, Absolute Power and Thor's hammer

SEASON: Beginning of seventh season

CONTENT WARNINGS: Violence, Angst

SYNOPSIS: Daniel is trying to figure out where he belongs

DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. Not to be archived without permission of the author.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This fanfic took years to finish. Somehow I couldn't find the inspiration. Was it because I missed Jack? Was it because SG1 was not SG1 anymore? Was it because the show stopped after ten seasons? I have no idea. But you know what? I did it, and I'm a happy camper.

This story happens right after Homecoming. Season seven.

A huge thank you to Jo who did the Beta of this fic. Couldn't have done it without you. Thank you for your tips and advice. All mistakes still found are my own fault. :-)

* * *

Darkness, By Wilma

Daniel Jackson stared into the dancing flames of the tiki torch he'd just lit a couple of minutes ago. Somehow there was something very familiar and comforting about it. The flames in the darkness of the garden were mesmerizing, almost robbing him of all thought while he sat in his new wooden garden chair on the porch behind the house, a comforter drawn up to his chin. His new house.

It all was happening too fast. The thoughts in his mind had started to tumble over each other the day he'd returned from Vis Uban, stepping into the Gateroom. But these thoughts hardly gave him the answers he was looking for. They'd made him feel tired, both physically and mentally.

He remembered things, but he was still trying to remember the emotions that went with the stories. They were there and seemed to wash over him like tidal waves sometimes, but he couldn't place them with events he was starting to remember. Like all those things had happened to someone else, and not him. Like he was just the observer.

There were feelings of friendship, love, but also of fear, loneliness, sadness. He couldn't place all of it yet, as they were so diverse. So real though, it made his heart ache. He was home again, even though it didn't really feel like home.

The flames of the torch made him feel more at ease. Like there was a connection he still missed somehow. Maybe that was why he'd used to light so many candles in his tent on Vis Uban? Like he'd tried to create a place for himself…a home?

Daniel looked up into the sky. He was starting to get cold and should go inside to get some sleep. Try to get some sleep was more like it. Because even in his dreams, emotions and impressions were tumbling over each other, and he would wake up in the middle of the night, sweating and disorientated. And this happened almost every night.

There was a mission planned the next day. His first off world mission since Jonas left and since they had the battle with Anubis. The Anubis situation that made him forget about his own problems for a while. He had been too busy. They had all been too busy.

The footage of the MALP had looked very interesting. A huge pedestal, almost on top of the DHD, and he hadn't recognised the writings.

Even though this was all definitely going too fast, he was feeling kind of excited about this mission. He just hoped that Jack wouldn't be pulling the plug on him going. Jack seemed to have problems in letting him do things alone these days. Even moving into his new house. So, he hadn't confided in Jack about what was going on with him. He'd mostly avoided him.

Of course he understood that Jack had missed him, but he needed to sort things out on his own. Needed to know who Jack was, who his friends were all over again. How he felt about all of them.

And he wasn't so sure about Jack right now. He remembered something about Jack telling him to shut up. But it didn't seem like Jack was mad at him right now. Maybe some things about Jack had made him decide to Ascend?

These thoughts were so confusing already, without Jack constantly watching over him. Was it out of guilt? He wasn't so sure, but somehow the feeling of Jack being angry with him made him very sad.

Standing up he blew out the torch and turned around to make his way to bed, dreading the nightmares that would come, full of black holes and searching for answers.

* * *

Jack looked at Daniel from the other side of the briefing room table. He still had to pinch himself once or twice a day to believe it was real and not some wacky dream, that Daniel was back.

You never knew what, or in this case 'who' you missed until they were gone. Well, that was certainly the case with him concerning Dr. Daniel Jackson. Archaeologist, linguist, sometimes pain in the mikta, but always the voice of reason. God, he'd missed the man. Not that Daniel really had to know this, of course.

Right now Jack was worried, though. They were about to go on a mission, but he wasn't sure that Daniel was ready. After the battle with Anubis and the goodbyes to Jonas, Daniel had started to turn away from him, from them. Of course, the man needed time to sort things out, to try and get lost memories back again. And Jack had been the first to admit Daniel needed time and all would be okay. Right now he wasn't too sure anymore.

He'd heard from Carter that Daniel had bought himself a house, only a couple of days ago. Great. He'd tried to help Daniel getting back his belongings. Most of it he still had, put in storage on Jack's command when Daniel had ascended. But it seemed that Daniel didn't want any help at all, and Jack hadn't wanted to intrude. What if Daniel just needed some time alone? He would ask for help if he needed it, right?

Think again, Jack.

Daniel was busily making notes, his pen moving across a pad of paper at high speed, while Jack tried to figure out what was wrong with that picture. Daniel looked like he hadn't been sleeping well, and Jack had wondered if he should have asked Fraiser to check him out.

But this mission to PJ 777 seemed easy enough. A planet with fresh air, mountains, trees and a glowing pedestal near the Gate with interesting writings of unknown origin all over it. It had Daniel bouncing, of course. That hadn't changed one bit. He may have problems remembering things, but his enthusiasm was still the same.

After they'd sent a MALP through and Carter determined all seemed safe, it was about to become a boring little trip from Jack's POV. Carter would take samples of the soil, Daniel would make rubbings or video footage of the writings, and Teal'c and Jack would make sure that nothing dangerous happened. Just like the old days. Piece of cake.

He decided that Daniel could come along. He would just keep a close eye on him and drag him back through the Gate to Fraiser if the need arose. He was sure that Carter and Teal'c would agree.

* * *

Daniel felt himself fall. He somehow had lost his footing, the ground beneath his feet disappearing and nothing to hold on to. A quick thought reminded him that this was only a dream, because he couldn't remember why he fell in the first place.

His body finally came to an abrupt stop, like the ones you sometimes have in the first minutes of sleep. Where it felt like you're falling and you suddenly woke up in bed. It felt like a major shock going through his body, and his head was about to explode.

Startled, he opened his eyes, sitting up. His own breathing sounded loud and harsh, and cold sweat ran down his back, making him shiver. Had he opened his eyes, or was he still dreaming?

It was dark. Totally dark. And cold, too.

Daniel swallowed and automatically his hands came up to touch his face, his eyes, just to feel if he really had them open. He had. He wasn't still asleep. This was real. What in the world had happened to him? Where was he, and even more important, where were the others? A slight panicky feeling crept up inside him while he stared into the darkness beyond. He couldn't see a thing, and it got scary, fast.

He remembered going through the Gate to PJ 777. It was supposed to be an easy mission. The MALP had shown no signs of life, and the planet was mountainous with a cool climate. They'd gone through the Gate, Jack bickering to him about something. He couldn't remember.

After that, nothing. He couldn't even remember stepping out of the Gate onto the planet. But he was sure that's where he was at the moment. Or had something else happened? Were they taken prisoners by someone or something, or maybe even the Goa'uld? This sure as hell felt like the after effects of a shock grenade. Oh yeah, he remembered those grenades very vividly.

"Jack?"

His voice sounded like an echo in the darkness. Like it bounced off some walls and came back to him. It was eerie and he reached out only to touch something cold, flat, like a metallic plate. A wall perhaps?

"Sam, Teal'c?"

Something seemed to whisper in the dark, and he turned abruptly. Of course he couldn't see a thing, but there had to be something out there. He could feel it. Maybe the others were nearby and unconscious?

"Hello?"

Shivers ran down his back and his teeth chattered. Why was he so cold anyway? He put his arms protectively around his body and found out he was only wearing his t-shirt and BDU's. Quickly he reached and touched his feet. No shoes. Damn, that's why he was freezing on this cold stone floor, or whatever he was sitting on.

He even lost his glasses, he realised, reaching for his eyes again. Not that it mattered in the total darkness, but this was so not good. He had to find the others.

"Jack?"

He scrambled on all fours and reached forward while slowly crawling to feel where he was, and if he was alone. He couldn't move to his right, as there was a wall. The one he'd felt before.

He moved in the other direction a little further and felt a ledge. Like he'd been lying on a cold flat slab of rock. He couldn't feel how high it was with his hands, so he sat down and stuck his legs over the side. He felt his toes touching the ground below right away. This wasn't high. Not higher than his dining room table.

"Can anybody hear me?"

He didn't dare to jump off yet, as he could have sworn he again heard some whispering in the dark beyond. Like voices coming his way. Voices he knew. He listened intently, his breathing the only sound for a long, long time.

There were footsteps. Not sure from which direction they came, Daniel braced himself. He didn't see a thing, but he could hear them come closer, and a heavy feeling pushed its way into his stomach.

"Hello?"

Unseen hands suddenly grabbed him out of nowhere. An arm grabbed him around the neck and he fell backwards onto— He woke up with a startled cry. What the…

Staring into the darkness he could faintly see something green. Little green lights were dancing in the dark above him. He realised in an instant they were eyes. Eyes of the beings holding him down. Suddenly loud screeching sounds startled him.

"My name is Daniel Jackson…" The arm around his neck pulled a little harder, and the screeches also became louder near his left ear the moment he spoke, and he choked. "Ah, stop. We're peaceful explorers, let me…"

Hands from out of nowhere started to poke him. Poke and prod and squeeze him everywhere, while the arm around his neck held him down. Trying not to panic, but on the edge of doing so, Daniel bit his lip. "Listen to me, please."

He heard the fabric of his t-shirt tear while the hands kept assaulting him. Hard, cold, relentless hands touched every part of his body. He tried to kick them away, tried to pull free, but it was hopeless.

"Please, stop; let me talk to you… Ah, no!"

They were starting to pull on his legs and arms. Stretching them and meanwhile still poking his chest and abdomen. This wasn't just uncomfortable anymore, this started to hurt. The more he tried to pull free, the more they poked and pulled.

"No, you're hurting me, stop!" He yelled at them, but that made them more agitated and they pulled some more. It felt like his arms were about to be ripped out of their sockets and he bit his lip to smother a cry.

That cry left his lips only seconds later when a hand pounded onto his chest, and he could swear it at least bruised a rib. His brain was trying to keep up when they turned him and started poking his backside. Landing on his chest, he gasped. Definitely a bruised rib.

Why were they doing this? What did they want? His head was swimming as the pain throbbed through his chest.

It stopped.

"Daniel Jackson, are you all right?"

"Teal'c?" A bright light was shining in his face, making him squeeze his eyes shut with a yelp. "Ah, that hurts."

"I am sorry." The Jaffa turned the flashlight to the floor where it still produced enough light, but not as harsh as before. "You may open your eyes now."

He squinted at his friend, trying to figure out where those creatures had gone, and how the Jaffa had gotten here. Pain in his shoulders, arms and chest made it hard to think. "Did you… how did you…"

"These aliens appear to be afraid of the light." Teal'c was sitting down next to him, helping him up. "Are you injured?"

"Uh, I think I might have bruised a rib, but I'll live," he gasped, his voice trailing off and he stared at Teal'c while the Jaffa helped him sit. "How did you get here?"

"I was following the tunnel. It was fortuitous that I found you at this time," the Jaffa stated, and looked him over, not explaining how he'd gotten the flashlight. That question could wait, Daniel decided while he stood up, concentrating on their bare feet.

"Can you walk, Daniel Jackson? We must locate Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter."

"Yes." He looked around, seeing a dark tunnel in front of him. The slab of rock he'd been lying on was located in an alcove in the tunnel. He hoped that they could find Jack and Sam, but he trusted Teal'c and was more than happy the Jaffa had found him just in time.

"Let's go find the others."

* * *

Jack muttered to himself in the dark. Crap! How long had it been since he'd woken disoriented, without his shoes, his jacket and most important, his team? And how long had he tried to free his ankle out of this damned rope? He'd thought about checking his watch as the thing had a light, but no watch either. Crap!

This was so not like he'd wanted this mission to be. It was supposed to be easy. A piece of cake, a walk in the park. Ah, he crossed this bridge before. Trying to get his cold fingers to untie the rope was almost impossible. He had to get it loose, though. He had to find the others. Maybe the rope would give way a bit where it was tied to what felt like a ring in the wall.

He started pulling at it, willing it to let him go, but it didn't seem to work. Nothing he did seemed to work. This was beyond frustrating.

Jack wondered what had happened to them, and how he'd gotten here. But he couldn't remember. Not that that was a surprise. Things like this had happened before, going through the Gate. But most of the time, his team would not be far away.

"Daniel, Carter, Teal'c?" His voice sounded ten times as loud as normal in this dark place, whatever it was.

Maybe the positive thing about all of this was the fact that no one came for him, yet. No creepy, crawly aliens, no people who thought he was a danger to their world. Nobody. Yet someone had had to have tied him to that rope.

No familiar faces either, and suddenly he felt alone. Dark, cold, mad as hell, but alone. Again he cursed his surroundings, and gave one last desperate tug on the rope. The rope slipped from his grip and he lost his balance and fell backwards.

"Damn it!"

"That's not a very nice thing to say, Jack." A familiar voice drifted out of the darkness.

"Daniel?"

"Jack."

"O'Neill."

"Teal'c?"

A light was coming his way fast, and he could finally see instead of feel his surroundings. Slab of rock, long tunnels going in all directions, rope around his ankle. Yep. "You mind aiming that somewhere other than in my face?" Yes, he was thankful and relieved to see Teal'c and Daniel coming out of a tunnel to his left. "What kept ya?"

Daniel shrugged. "We ran into some aliens."

"Interesting." Jack impatiently waited for Teal'c to untie the rope, and it made him wish he had such strong fingers as the Jaffa. He would have been out of here in no time. No wonder Teal'c freed himself. He looked at them, suddenly realizing his team was incomplete. "Where's Carter?"

"We do not know, O'Neill," Teal'c stated. "She can with most certainty be found somewhere in these tunnels."

Yeah, of course. They'd been separated, so Carter had to be somewhere close by, just as frustrated with being tied to a wall. They should go look for her right away.

"Let's move out."

"Jack?"

"Daniel?"

"Are you all right?"

He was just about to walk into the right tunnel, but stopped, turned around and faced Daniel. "When we find Carter, yes."

"That's not what I mean."

"So, what do you mean, Daniel?"

"Were you attacked?"

"Attacked?" He squinted at Daniel in the semi-darkness, and his friend did seem a little paler than normal. "You were attacked?"

"I didn't say…"

"Daniel!"

"Yes, I was attacked by a bunch of aliens." Daniel seemed out of breath, like talking was costing him a lot of energy. "I thought maybe they also tried to, uh, hurt you? I mean, you were bound to the wall, I wasn't, so I thought maybe they…"

"Whoa." Jack waved a hand to stop the flow of words. "Haven't heard a thing, and haven't seen one living being." He touched Daniel's arm. He knew he wanted to ask if Daniel was okay, but the gesture alone seemed to do the job.

"I'm fine, Jack. Just hurt my ribs." Daniel gave him a tight smile. "A bit."

"A bit?"

"Daniel Jackson said he may have bruised a rib," Teal'c suddenly stated and Daniel gave him an icy stare that Teal'c missed in the semi-darkness of the small flashlight. Jack saw it, though.

"Thanks, Teal'c," Daniel replied in the same icy tone that was in his eyes. "I'm okay, really." That was more of a begging tone, and a wave of raw emotion ran through Jack's body. Daniel was still the Daniel he knew and missed.

"Come on, let's go find Carter before these aliens do." Jack let out a deep sigh, pointing his finger at Daniel. "And you, take it easy."

They slowly walked into the right tunnel, Teal'c's flashlight an eerie sight in the long narrow tunnel.

* * *

"Carter, open your eyes."

She frowned; eyes still tightly shut, and wondered who was calling her name. It sounded a bit like the colonel, but why was he asking her to open her eyes? She felt extremely tired, she just wanted to sleep. He should leave her alone.

"Carter, wake up."

Now, was that a direct order? Her military mind debated with her scientific one. She should really try and wake up, try to see who was calling her. Both minds agreed on that.

Slowly prying one eye open, she stared into the face of a very handsome man. He had almost white blond hair, extremely light blue eyes and a very pale skin. She blinked up at him in confusion. Where was she?

"Wha, what happened?" It was the only logical thing to ask now, although it sounded a little too shaky in her ears. She couldn't remember what had happened, and she felt exhausted, but not sick or anything.

"You are with us, the Teirgram," the man stated proudly.

"The…" She moved up so quickly that everything around her did a spin. "Whoa." She steadied herself on one elbow while the room and the man slowly stopped their swirl. "Where are my friends?" They had to be near.

"Friends?"

"The people who came with me through the Stargate?"

"Stargate?"

"Uh, the ring." She moved her hands in a circle like gesture, meanwhile keeping an eye on the man staring at her in surprise.

From the corner of her eye she could see that she was in a large room, on some sort of bed. Everything was white, the bed, the floor, and the walls. Light spots were dancing in front of her eyes. The walls seemed to shimmer, and the man next to her bed was dressed in white also. They probably never heard of color around here. They were alone in the room. No signs of her team.

"You do not know?" the man now asked, concern written all over his face.

"Uhm, no." She carefully put her legs on the floor near the bed and was happy to see she still wore her fatigues. Her vest was lying on the floor next to the bed. Her P90 as well. But no sign of her other weapons. They were probably not in sight. She hoped. "Why don't you tell me?"

"Men who come through the ring are always seen as enemies and treated that way," the man said, and Sam found herself looking up at him, shocked, as her heart raced in her chest. This man didn't look very hostile. She even had her P90. Where in the world were Colonel O'Neill, Daniel and Teal'c? What had they done to her team, her friends?

"What did you do to them?" she asked, even while she dreaded the answer. What if these people had killed them? No, she swallowed, not believing her inner voice. They were still alive, they had to be.

"They have been sent to the tunnels deep under the mountain. To the Senkgrad."

"The… Who?"

"All men coming through the ring are transported immediately to the tunnels where they can do no harm," he stated in a proud voice. "Any of their weapons will be destroyed."

"But we are peaceful travellers, my friends and I would never do you harm." She could see him blinking in a non-understanding way. "Not all men coming through the Stargate can be considered enemies – some, like me and my friends, are travellers, explorers. Others might be seeking to trade."

"We cannot tell by appearances if you are not the enemy. They are sometimes in disguise," the man stated, his head held up in a proud sort of way.

"But women can also be in disguise." She couldn't believe what she was hearing. This was a very radical way to be safe from any Goa'uld coming to the planet? But there were also female Goa'uld. This just didn't make any sense.

"Our enemies are very clear to us." The man now smiled at her, like this happened to him every day, and he had learned to deal with it in a professional manner.

"How do you know my name?"

"It is written on your jacket," he answered. "Would you like some sustenance?"

"I'd like to see my friends." Sam stood up from the bed slowly, trying not to get dizzy again. She could really use some food, but there were probably some power bars left in her vest pockets. She wasn't sure these people could be trusted.

"Have I not just told you they are in the tunnels, and you cannot go there?" His smile was gone now and he sounded adamant. "I will bring you something to eat, and then I will send someone to show you the Teirgram world."

"Whoa." This was going way too fast. If her friends were in those tunnels and brought to the, what did he call them? Senkgrad? She should find out as much as she could about this. "Could you please tell me what a Senkgrad is?"

"They are the vile creatures that have always lived underground. They are the reason we have to live the way we do." He gestured in the air. "We have to live in a dome world because of them, and we despise them."

"They're dangerous?" She felt her heart sink.

"Sometimes," was the answer. "They can never be trusted."

This wasn't good news. She now knew where the others were, but had no clue if they were all right, or how to get to them. Although knowing her team, she had faith in their abilities to survive. Like Jack and Teal'c had survived the Unas once in the caves on Cimmeria. But they'd had a gun that time.

This man wanted to send someone to show her around? It was a good place as any to start. Sam gave him a smile, one she wasn't feeling at all. "I would like to see your world now."

* * *

"Sshh." Jack stopped and ordered the others to stop as well. Daniel almost bumped into him while he turned around. "I have a feeling we're being followed."

"Those aliens," Daniel whispered. "They are following us."

"They are afraid of light, O'Neill." Teal'c told him.

"How do you…"

Teal'c's flashlight suddenly revealed the creatures that simultaneously let out a loud kind of screech giving Jack goose bumps. There were about ten as far as Jack could see as they retreated back into the shadows, avoiding the light.

He let out a sigh. He had been holding his breath without realising it. Man, they were in deep shit. The flashlight, their only weapon in this dark cold place. What if the battery ran low?

"They are humanoid." He could hear Daniel whisper next to him. "Did you see those scales?"

Typical Daniel. Always fascinated, even now. These humanoids, as the archaeologist called them, had almost ripped him to pieces a while back, and he was analysing them. Great.

"Yeah, Daniel." He grunted in disgust, thinking about the way these aliens looked. Like humans with long fingers, pale skin, greenish eyes and fishy scales on their chest and backs. Oh, and let's not forget the I-can-see-in-the-dark part. He shook his head. "They remind me of a larger version of Gollum."

"What?" He could see Daniel staring at him in the dim light.

"You know, from…"

"I know, Jack."

"Let us move on, O'Neill," Teal'c interrupted before he could utter another remark towards Daniel. "This tunnel seems to be leading upwards."

"Yeah, T." Jack shrugged trying to shake his thoughts of creatures eating raw fish and orks running around in the dark. "Lead the way." He said it in a light tone, a lot lighter than he felt. Hearing Daniel cough behind him, he turned. "Don't lose us."

"I wasn't planning on that," was the tired answer.

They had walked what seemed like hours, stumbling along a dark tunnel, only guided by what little light the flashlight gave them. Jack didn't dare suggest turning it off for a while, in fear that the creatures might come back. They hadn't seen or heard anything in the last hour, but that didn't mean they weren't there.

The tunnel still seemed to go up so that was good, Jack hoped. He was getting extremely tired, and could hear Daniel's rapid breathing behind him. His friend was constantly tripping over debris on the rocky ground. They needed a break.

"Teal'c?"

He could still see the light of the flashlight when he looked up, but not as close by as it had been a while ago. When had they gotten separated? The air seemed to have a tiring, almost pressing effect on his head. He had trouble thinking clearly.

"Hey, Teal'c!"

Jack's voice echoed through the tunnel, making him and Daniel jump in surprise.

"Jack, why are you yelling?" Daniel was asking while Jack could see him bend over, hands on his knees, seemingly trying to catch his breath.

Turning again towards the light of Teal'c's flashlight, he almost couldn't see it anymore. He could barely see Daniel. Suddenly the light was gone and they were engulfed in total darkness.

"Crap!" He reached out, feeling for Daniel's sleeve and taking it firmly into one hand. "We need to catch up with Teal'c, let's go."

Daniel's hand on his arm stopped him. "He'll turn around and come back for us, Jack. He won't leave us be… behind." His friend sounded more than tired and out of breath. He sounded exhausted.

"I know that, Daniel." His mind was working overtime. They needed to find Teal'c, they also needed to rest. The soles of his bare feet were killing him.

To prove Daniel's words right, the small light reappeared and seemed to move their way. Jack let out a relieved sigh. Of course Teal'c would turn back when he found out they were no longer following him. It was still weird that they'd lost each other in the first place. Maybe it was the air in here?

Jack didn't feel like standing around in the dark too long waiting for Teal'c to reach them, though. What if Gollum and his family came back? He didn't want to think of that.

"Come on."

They had perhaps done three steps, when the rocky ground under his feet gave way. Like he was stepping into nothing. A huge black hole of nothing. Shit!

"Daniel!"

* * *

Sam squinted at the artificial light in the courtyard. What made her squint were the people going about their business in this strange 'dome' world. They all had blond or even white hair and bright blue eyes. Not one soul with darker blond hair like Daniel's was to be found.

It was almost unreal. But, Sam reminded herself, this could be just the race, the makeup of these people. They had met so many strange races and aliens over the seven years going through the Gate.

Her guide, Gypt, didn't seem aware of her curiosity. And if he did, he hid it well. He was walking in front of her, gesturing around like some tour guide in a museum.

She had put her vest back on before following him. Her P90 clipped on. She hadn't found her backpack though. She'd asked the guy who woke her up about it, but he had just lifted his shoulders telling her it was probably lost. What was that supposed to mean? Did these people take it? Her Zat was also gone, which was a bit of a worry. The Colonel would not be happy. If she found the Colonel, that was.

Sam was restless as she observed her surroundings. She should ask about her friends once more. See to it they were alright. The tunnel story had done nothing to set her mind at ease, and she really needed to find a way to go there. Wherever 'there' was.

"And this, Carter…"

Gypt's voice made her jump and she almost bumped into him. "Oh, sorry."

"It is all right." He smiled at her, but it was a forced smile, she could see. She gave him a careful smile herself. Everything to make him feel more relaxed with her around. Maybe if she could locate the Gate as well as the entrance to these tunnels, they would be able to make it out of here. Locate the Gate and find her team, that was her job.

"Uh, I was wondering, Gypt." She had to ask the question, and hoped it sounded polite enough for the man smiling down on her. "Could you show me the Gate?"

"The Gate?"

"The ring."

"It is no secret." He beamed at her, as if the thought of the Gate made him proud. "I will show you, and also show you how we transport our enemies who come through."

This was too good to be true. He would show her all these things, no questions asked? They must be pretty confident about their situation, these Teirgram. But she wasn't objecting to it, of course. She had to find out all there was to know before executing a plan of escape.

He beckoned her, and they quickly walked across the courtyard to an alleyway on the North side. There was a round door at the end, and to Sam's amazement, it was green instead of white. It had a round knob in the middle. It kind of reminded her of a Hobbit door, and she couldn't help but grin at that thought.

"This is the only door like this?" she asked.

"Yes," Gypt answered and started to turn the knob. Two turns to the left, four to the right. And then he pushed and the door swayed open slowly revealing the mountains and trees they had seen on the MALP's footage some time ago. Of course these people lived the way they did because of these Senkgrad, whatever they were, but she wasn't so sure it was the real problem.

"Follow me." Gypt lead the way out of the dome, scanning the area carefully as he did so. They traced a small white paved path that was probably made by the Teirgram, as it looked too smooth to be natural. And a minute later they rounded a corner and there it was. The Gate.

Two men in white robes were guarding it. They hadn't seen them on the MALP before coming through, so she wondered if they had always been there, or just recently. Because she was their guest?

Sam could see the pedestal in front of it. The one Daniel had really wanted to see. The thought of her friend made her breath stick in her throat. They had to be all right. They just had to be. After all this time their old team was together again. She liked to keep it that way.

"You transport people to the tunnels, right?" Sam had to know how it worked, or they would not be able to escape this planet at all. "Do you do this yourself?"

Gypt gestured her to follow him up to the Gate after a gesture or two towards the guards. Then he pointed at the ground in front of the pedestal. It looked like normal black soil to Sam. "The tile beneath the soil in front of the pedestal does this. We do not know how it works exactly. It has always been there. People coming through the Gate want to see our pedestal and are transported. Some of our workers place the transported people in alcoves within the tunnels."

It didn't seem to be anything like Thor's hammer; Sam thought and started to look around. The Gate wasn't far from a steep mountain wall. Maybe there were caves there that led into the tunnels?

When she took one step off the white path leading to the Gate, one of the guards stepped forward and grabbed her arm, making her jump. What the…

"You are not permitted from the path, as it is very dangerous," he announced.

Sam raised both hands in what she hoped was a trustful manner. There was a reason why she couldn't go check out the mountain walls. They were probably afraid she would run into some of these Senkgrad creatures. "Okay, I get it."

How was she ever going to find a tunnel entrance if she wasn't allowed to explore? She stared at Gypt who looked genuinely upset. If they had workers in the tunnels sometimes, maybe there was another entrance. In the domed city itself?

Gypt let out a little cough. "Let us go back."

"Yes, let's." Maybe if she played along, she would get a chance to explore the city by herself. Be nice and they grant you your wish, Sam, she thought and smiled at the man. "Thank you."

* * *

Teal'c stopped and turned. Had he just heard O'Neill's voice from far away? That was not possible. His friends were right behind him.

Pointing his flashlight back into the tunnel behind him, he realised they were gone. O'Neill and Daniel Jackson were gone. This was a fact, but a very strange one to Teal'c, who always kept an eye on his team mates, his friends.

"O'Neill?"

Had it been the colonel's voice he had heard? And why were they behind so much without his noticing it? He should go back and find them right away.

He started to walk back, with his flashlight above his head, shining through the tunnel. His friends should not be this far away. A faster pace should reunite them soon. He started to jog.

"Teal'c!"

It was Daniel Jackson's voice. Not far now and he should be able to see his friends in the tunnel.

And the tunnel stopped. His flashlight was suddenly shining against a large dark wall that had somehow dropped out of the ceiling to stop him from reaching his friends. He almost ran into it.

"Daniel Jackson?" He pounded with his fists on the wall. He needed to find a way to lift this wall to continue. This was intolerable.

"You cannot do that."

The voice made Teal'c turn so fast, he could hear a gasp of surprise going through the five dark-haired people standing behind him. Unarmed, as far as Teal'c could see. Only holding small earth coloured pots in their hands with some kind of phosphorous green dust in it. They squinted a little because of his flashlight.

"You may not pass the dark wall." One of them, a tall, olive skinned man with large brown eyes, took one step towards him. "I am Hamun." He reached out one hand, a little hesitant.

"My friends are in need of my assistance."

Teal'c knew he could look very intimidating if he put his mind to it. These people didn't look very dangerous to him, but he would not leave Colonel O'Neill and Daniel Jackson in those tunnels with the creatures. "You must allow me to pass this wall of security."

"No, you cannot pass the dark wall," the one calling himself Hamun said in a slightly panicked voice. "Your friends are lost."

"They are not." Teal'c stepped towards the dark haired man. "And you will allow me to save them."

"The Senkgrad will rip them to pieces, will rip you to pieces. It is what they do. What they are bred to do." Hamun looked scared as he moved back, and Teal'c was wondering if it was because of those Senkgrad, or more because of the way he looked down on the man. "They sometimes even eat their victims."

"Then it is most urgent that we reach them." He looked at the wall behind him again. Not in a million years would he leave his friends behind in that dark tunnel with the alien creatures.

"The Teirgram, like us, use traps occasionally." Hamun suddenly stood next to him, also squinting up at the wall. It looked like he was listening for something. "It appears your friends have fallen into an opening in the tunnel."

"Teirgram?" Teal'c raised an eyebrow.

"They live within the white dome. They are our enemy." Hamun still looked scared. "They have sent you into these tunnels in the hope the Senkgrad would kill you. And they have banned us to this way of life a long time ago. Everyone who is different is sent here."

Teal'c could feel this man spoke the truth. And that he was an honorable man who only tried to survive, and was now here to help them. Help him. This man would do anything to give help, and his friends might not be lost to him for long. There had to be another way to get to them.

He wondered, though. "But why did I not fall into that trap as well? I walked over the same place as my friends."

"Luck?"

"Luck?"

"I mean you were just lucky, my friend," Hamun answered and tried a smile.

"Maybe there is another way to find my friends?"

"Could be, yes," Hamun said, but he didn't look very convinced. "You have to come with us to our cave, because we have maps of the tunnel system. We might find a way."

"Let us hurry then." Teal'c impatiently took the startled man's arm.

* * *

Daniel fell to his knees even as Jack yelled. He stretched out desperately and grabbed onto something, probably Jack's arm. Then his knees buckled and he fell forward on his stomach and chest. A groan escaped him as the sudden descent almost ripped him apart.

Oh God, that hurt. Those humanoids must have heard his groan all the way on the other side of this tunnel. He could feel himself slip on the rocky ground. It wouldn't be long before he toppled over. Jack was just too heavy, and with the injury to his rib he couldn't hold on much longer.

"Jack." His breath stopped in his throat. "Hold on, I've got ya!"

"Daniel?" Jack's voice was sharp from below him. "Let go, Daniel, or we both fall."

"No way." He tightened his grip but he could still feel them both slip. "Not letting you go, Jack!"

From the corner of his eye he could see a small light in the tunnel ahead of them. Teal'c.

"Teal'c!" He didn't care anymore about those creatures hearing him; he needed Teal'c here, right away. He slipped further and knew, deep in his heart, that he couldn't hold on to Jack for much longer. They would both fall if he didn't let go.

No! He couldn't let go. There was no choice. He didn't even want to think about it. He wasn't going to lose Jack. That intense feeling made him swallow. Jack was his friend. He suddenly felt the emotion of their friendship, of what he felt for Jack wash over him. The feeling he'd lost.

"Daniel?" Jack's voice was calm, too calm. "Let me go, Danny."

"No," he panted, trying to catch breath that wouldn't come. "Teal'c will be here any second. I saw his flashlight, and…"

He didn't even finish his sentence when the small light in the tunnel, not far from them, disappeared. What the…

And then he felt himself fall forward. He was still holding Jack's arm as they tumbled into more darkness. But it wasn't like falling into a hole. It was more like a steep slope, he realised in seconds as they tumbled over each other amidst rocks and dust. Automatically he let go of Jack and raised his arms protectively over his head.

His chest felt like it was ripped apart when his left side came into contact with something hard and sharp on the way down, and he gasped. The descent came to an abrupt stop on a cold, hard floor, and the wind was almost knocked out of him.

Feeling disorientated, the adrenalin rushing through his body, he scrambled up on all fours and found Jack near him. The man didn't move.

"Jack?"

Daniel frantically felt for a pulse. He let out a sigh of relief when he found it. Faint but steady. He cursed the darkness one more time. He roamed his hands over the man's face carefully and stopped in shock when he felt something warm and wet near his left ear. This could only be blood. Damn it.

"Jack, come on, wake up," he practically begged while he patted a cold cheek. The pat was rewarded with a groan, a loud one. Thank God, Jack was waking up. "Jack?"

"Ah, Daniel?"

"Yeah."

"Did I just get hit by a truck?" Jack asked, and Daniel could almost see him blink up at him in confusion in his mind's eye. He could also feel that the colonel was trying to get up.

"No, stay down, Jack." He pushed the man back. "I think you might have a concussion. The floor of the tunnel gave way, remember? You must have hit your head. You were out of it for a couple of minutes."

Daniel let his hand automatically go up to touch his own chest and left side. The pain really hit him now that the adrenalin slowly left his system. It made him dizzy and nauseated.

"You all right?" Jack's voice sounded concerned as if he could feel something wasn't right. Daniel was mighty glad the other man couldn't see him in the dark.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Well, he was going to be. That bruised rib felt like it was accompanied by a couple of more bruised ones now.

"You sure?"

"Yes." He hated lying to Jack, but he was more concerned for the wound on the other man's head and about getting out of these tunnels right now. He would be fine. "How's the head?"

"Still working." Jack let out a chuckle. "Do you think Teal'c is still up there somewhere?"

"Must be, I think I heard something up there." He bit his lip to stop a whimper of pain when he leaned against the slope behind him. "Could be those humanoids, of course."

"Let's hope not."

* * *

Hamun and the group accompanying him had led Teal'c to a large cave that was illuminated by the strange green light. Teal'c's eyes were getting used to that light now, and he didn't need his flashlight to see.

The cave was full of people. All of them had dark hair and olive skin, and it struck Teal'c as odd. Normally people living underground for a long period of time were very pale. But of course this was another planet and that rule might not apply. He saw men, women and children. All busy working. Making food, grinding the green powder that lit up the cave, making tools, and even weapons as far as Teal'c could see.

Hamun had told him they were called the Mons Montis, the mountain men.

Not that he was interested in getting to know their social structure and life just yet. He was very concerned about the Colonel and Daniel Jackson. They needed to be found, immediately. Hamun said they had maps of the tunnels. He wanted to see them.

"Hamun." He beckoned the man who was talking to some of his people. "Where are your maps?"

"Yes, of course." The man walked over to what looked like a hole in the wall, and he pulled out some papers that looked more like cloth. He went over to a high, stone bench in the middle of the large cave and rolled them out for him to see.

At first there was nothing much to see in the dim light, but after a moment or two of staring at the paper, Teal'c could make out lines. Tunnels and caves were drawn in straight lines. He couldn't make out anything specific so he turned to Hamun who was standing next to him.

"Can you find the place?"

"Yes." Hamun looked thoughtfully at the map. "I think I know where they might be." He pointed at the map. "That tunnel leads under another one. It is the only one that does."

"How do we get there?" Teal'c asked, forcing calmness. He wasn't feeling calm though. He was very tense. He hadn't had his tretonin in a while, that could become a problem.

"We need to take precautions first," Hamun stated. "The Senkgrad could be there."

Teal'c felt a puff of air escape his mouth. There was no time for all of this. "These creatures seem to be afraid of my light." He showed his flashlight to Hamun and turned it on. There was one small ray of light before it was dark again. He shook it but nothing happened. The battery had died.

"Is it supposed to do that?" Hamun asked.

"No, it is not." Teal'c felt the urge to throw the thing on the floor, but composed himself.

"Then we take our own precautions before we leave."

* * *

Jack knew that something more was wrong with Daniel than one bruised rib. They had been sitting in the dark against that rocky slope for a long time now, without talking. Normally Daniel wasn't this quiet. It was eerie.

Jack knew he had a concussion, but didn't know how bad. Blood was slowly trickling down on one side of his head and he wiped it away. He knew he'd been out of it for a while, and now it was like there was a brass band playing inside his head. He felt sick and they had decided that waiting for Teal'c to find them was their best shot. He didn't feel like crawling around in complete darkness.

Moving his hands to the left, they touched something warm. Daniel. The other man let out a sudden groan, but didn't move. There was definitely something badly wrong here. "Daniel?"

"Yeah?" It wasn't even more than a whisper. Jack knew he should push the issue, but didn't. This wasn't the place.

"T will come back soon to get us, ya know."

"I know."

Jack's head felt like it was ten times as heavy as he sat up straight and touched Daniel's arm. "We'll be home in no time."

"Please, don't patronize me." Daniel's voice was a little stronger now as he bit out the words towards him in the dark. "You have—"

The sentence never ended as there suddenly was chaos. Hands came out of nowhere and grabbed him, and he saw the little green eyes of the Gollum all around him. He never even heard them coming. Damn!

The strong hands pulled him up with such abruptness that the dark suddenly seemed to have blinking lights as he let out a gasp. Then they started to almost rip him apart by pulling on both his arms at the same time, letting out deafening screeching sounds.

"Jack!"

He could hear Daniel frantically call out his name, but before he could answer he felt dizzy, and the sounds, pain and chaos fell into darkness, along with him.

* * *

Sam had been left alone in the courtyard. Gypt told her he had important business to attend to, and she could move around freely. These people were so trustworthy it made her frown. She always expected the worst to happen. But everything seemed to work in her favor.

Starting to walk around, she noticed what looked like a small round building to the south side of the courtyard. People dressed in white stared at her, but also greeted her respectfully. Sam stood still with her back to the round building's door. Peeking inside might not be something these people would appreciate, so she looked around if someone noticed her.

Everyone seemed to be busy with their everyday activities. She quickly pushed the door open and slipped inside. It was dark inside. How peculiar. Every one of these buildings was white and light and…

Sam realised she was holding her breath when she turned around a dark corner. She quickly switched on the flashlight on her P90, and the light showed her a dark, round room.

She slowly moved inside, holding her weapon and light up high to scan the room. There were all kinds of large black drapes hanging over what looked like boxes. Maybe some kind of storage room?

She made her way over to one of the drapes and lifted it carefully. It was like a curtain, she thought, feeling the fabric going through her fingers. Lifting it, she almost dropped it again when something stared at her from inside what was a large crate with bars.

Some kind of creature, looking a lot like something she'd just seen in a horror movie. It screeched at her. Sam quickly turned around to see if anybody had heard that, and if there were footsteps rushing to come and stop her nosing around.

Nothing.

Sam quickly lowered the curtain when the creature started to move and screech again loudly. Another sound from outside the room made her look around frantically for cover. From the corner of her eye she saw what looked like a large table with some sort of garment draped over it.

Without thinking, she made a dive for it, sliding over the floor and landing under it. Not a second too soon. A light lit up in the dark room, and two people of the Teirgram walked in. They didn't seem to be in a hurry. Sam could see their white boots from her hiding place.

She heard the rustling of fabric, and another screech made her hair almost stand on end. Why were they holding something like this humanoid alien in a cage, here in this room? Had they captured it?

"This one is ready to be put into the tunnels," she heard one of the people say. A very familiar voice it was. Gypt! Put into the tunnels? Ha, there was the tunnel story again. Her friends were put into the tunnels. The tunnels she was looking for. Her mind did a little jump of joy. She was on the right track.

She had to follow them to the tunnels. It was the only way to find her team. Gosh, she almost wanted to leap from beneath her hiding spot and tell them to hurry it up. Of course, they seemed to plan it otherwise.

"This is a good specimen," she heard Gypt say to the other person with him. "He will kill many of the Mons Montis. He may even kill the strangers who came through the ring, if they are not dead already."

Sam's joyful feeling was crushed in an instant. These creatures living in the tunnels were killing people? Gypt seemed to think that her team was already dead? No way. He didn't know them like she did. No ten creatures likes this would be able to beat Teal'c.

But what if they were without weapons? She swallowed, and almost forgot to breathe. These Teirgram people were not so peaceful after all, if they were breeding aliens and killing other people.

Because who were the Mons Montis? Another race? Looks could definitely be deceiving. Although with the loss of her team, she hadn't trusted them in the first place, but this…

Footsteps made her aware of them moving away from the crate, and she carefully peeked from under the table. She could just see the white boots moving to her left, and heard a scraping noise. Then all was quiet.

Quickly but carefully she slid forward, keeping her head down. It was very quiet in the room and finally certain she was alone again, she relaxed and stood up. The two Teirgram hadn't left the same way they had come in. They must have left through that tunnel entrance she was trying to find.

Retracing their steps from as far as Sam had seen, she ended up standing in front of a wall. This must be it. The entrance. But the question was how to open it. And was it a good plan to open it if those two men were still in the tunnel?

Sam decided she had to risk it. She had a weapon. If there was trouble, she would be ready. It was her duty to find her team. And she would.

She started pushing against the wall with all her might. Nothing happened. Sam stamped her feet in frustration. There should be some mechanism to open this hidden door. But she had the feeling she'd been rubbing and pushing every bit of the wall. Why wasn't Daniel here? He would have opened this door in no time.

With a sigh she let herself sink against the wall. There had to be something she'd overlooked?

Before she could think it over, the wall behind her started to move. Jumping up in surprise Sam quickly regained her composure. Maybe the Teirgram came back? That would make sense.

Taking a couple of steps to the left she knew it was now or never. The wall would open and she would sneak in the minute those two men had their backs to her, before the entrance closed up again, taking away all her hope of succeeding.

The wall was pulled up in some way. Not like a normal door, but more like a garage door. The rock was scraping on other rock, the same noise she had heard before. Pushing herself almost into the wall, she held her breath when the two Teirgram men walked out. They didn't look her way, thank goodness. She didn't want to use violence without it being absolutely necessary.

Sam took two steps when the wall came down again. She quickly slipped through the opening and moved to the side, waiting for the door to close. It did with a slow, muffled sound.

She was alone, in the dark. But she was in.

* * *

"Jack!"

Daniel had all but forgotten the pain in his chest as he tried to pull himself free of the hands that grabbed him, and probably Jack in the dark. He used his bare feet to kick them, and could hear the screeching change every time his feet hit their mark. It didn't do much though, and in his struggle he landed on the ground in a pile of arms and legs with the creatures.

A sharp pain ignited through his right arm. It burned like he'd just been stung by a wasp, a huge wasp. His left fist came into contact with something hard and suddenly the hands were gone.

"Daniel Jackson!" It was Teal'c's voice, and he could see green lights dancing through the tunnel. The creatures fled in all directions and he saw that Teal'c wasn't alone. A group of people were accompanying him, and they threw some kind of dust through the air. Glowing green dust.

A strong arm held him up while he swayed, and he stared at his right arm. There was nothing to see but some small, dark marks. Like he'd been bitten. Had he?

A voice near his ear made him jump, and he blinked. "He has been bitten by the Senkgrad, we must open the wound right away, or he might die from infection or the poison."

Die? Daniel's mind was starting to act a little sluggish, and the voices were coming to him in slow motion. What was going on?

"Stay awake, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c's voice was coming from very far away, and he focused on it. He had to stay awake? Okay, he could try that. He looked around fuzzily and realized he was lying with his back against the Jaffa. This couldn't be right, how did he get there?

Suddenly a sharp pain ran through his right arm. He cried out and his hand came in contact with another strong hand. Teal'c? What in the world were they doing?

Everything around him seemed to stop moving, and then there was nothing.

* * *

Sam looked around carefully. Her P90 pointed in front of her, its flashlight shining through a dark tunnel. She sighed and felt very apprehensive about going into that tunnel in front of her. Anything could happen, and she was alone. Armed though.

The thought of her team in these tunnels, unarmed, suddenly made her strong. She couldn't give up on them. They were counting on her. She had to find them. They were not dead, but waiting for her. Yes, they were waiting for her to come.

Letting out another deep sigh, she stepped into the tunnel and started following the walls, shining her flashlight in front of her.

It felt like the darkness was crushing down on her while she followed the tunnel. Stopping in her tracks, she suddenly realised she should mark the wall to find her way back. Or they would all be lost here forever.

Rifling through her vest she found a marker. Black. Damn, why was it that in the movies they always seemed to have a white crayon, while she had to mark a dark wall with a dark marker. In frustration she ripped the cap of the marker and made a line on the wall. Shining her flashlight on her handiwork, she sighed. It was visible, but just. It had to work.

Moving on, time seemed to have no meaning anymore. She had no idea how far or how long she had walked when a voice suddenly woke her up from the daze she had fallen into. Was it the air in these tunnels?

"Please, do not shoot."

The voice came from her left. It was coming from a side tunnel next to her. Her training and gut instinct quickly made her spin around and she pointed her gun on the man who was looking at her through a hazy greenish light.

"I can take you to your friends," the man stated. He didn't look like that creature she saw in the dark crate room at all. This man was human. Was this the race the Teirgram had talked about? Their enemies? He didn't look hostile at all. Neither had the Teirgram at first sight, of course, so she kept her gun pointed at him, just in case.

"Where are they, are they all right?"

"They are alive."

Sam felt herself letting out a small breath of air. Slowly she lowered the gun and squinted at him. Alive was good, wasn't it? There was this sad look in the man's eyes while he waited patiently for her to make up her mind what to do.

Sam finally let out a sigh. There was no other way but to trust this man. She didn't like it, but she was still armed and he wasn't. She had to admit, he was the only one who could take her to her friends.

"Lead the way."

* * *

"Where are we?"

Trying to focus, Jack looked around. It wasn't totally dark anymore. A pale green light was illuminating his surroundings. He was squinting up at what looked like the ceiling of a cave. It was hard to breathe, and his head still throbbed, but the pain seemed to have numbed a bit.

"You are safe, O'Neill. Relax."

Jack then saw Teal'c, who looked down at him, a serious expression on his face. Slowly he started to remember. The tunnels, the humanoid aliens, the fall. Teal'c must have found them just in time, before those creatures could… Daniel, where was he?

"Where's Daniel?"

He tried to sit up on what seemed like a stone bench draped with cloth, but Teal'c pushed him back down easily. Looking around, he saw they weren't alone. There were people in a large dome-like cave. And they looked like very normal people to him. No shiny green eyes, no scales. They only had very dark hair and olive coloured skin. Or maybe that was because of the greenish light? They weren't looking at them, but went about their business, whatever that was.

"Daniel Jackson is here also." Teal'c seemed to be tense, and it gave him a very bad feeling. His headache might be a little better, with emphasis on little, but a stone fell into his stomach. Not Daniel. He should be okay. He didn't want to lose him again.

"Is he all right?"

"He will be fine."

Will be? What was going on here? It was so not like Teal'c to be so evasive. Not that his friend would ever lie to him, but it seemed like he definitely knew something that he didn't want Jack to know.

"Spit it out, T."

"Daniel Jackson has been bitten by one of the creatures."

"And?" Did he sound too anxious? Where was Daniel anyway? He was looking around frantically now, his head throbbing again with the action, his throat hurting. He wanted to get up; no, he needed to get up and find Daniel, or pull the story out of the Jaffa.

Teal'c pushed him down with ease for the second time. "These good people are called the Mons Montis and they have cleaned the wound, but as it is poisoned, Daniel Jackson is now in a deep state of unconsciousness."

"You mean a coma?" The stone in the pit of his stomach turned around a couple of times, and it made him want to throw up.

"They did not state that information to me."

"Then bring them here, and let me ask them about it." Jack knew that came out harsher than he wanted it to, but he couldn't help it. He didn't want to leave this planet without a healthy Daniel. Anything else was not acceptable.

"You must rest, O'Neill, you have suffered a concussion," Teal'c said in a calm but stern voice. Don't mess with the Jaffa was written all over his face. "Daniel Jackson will be fine."

How in the world could he be so sure? These people didn't look like an advanced race that could heal all kinds of injuries. Although, looks could be deceiving of course. The Nox suddenly came to mind and Jack felt himself relax a bit. "Are you sure?"

"I am."

"Colonel?" The familiar voice came from one of the many tunnels leading to the round cave.

"Carter?"

"Major Carter." Teal'c left his side to walk over to a pale looking Carter, her P90 firmly in her hands while she followed one of the Mons Montis. "I am relieved to see you."

"Me too, Teal'c." She looked grateful and tired, but otherwise healthy. "I'm so glad you are all okay." Walking over to Jack, she looked around. "Where's Daniel?"

"Yeah, Teal'c." Jack felt his fear and apprehension return. "That's what I would like to know as well."

Before Teal'c could answer, one of the dark haired Mons Montis came their way. Teal'c bowed to the man which made Jack stare at him. "Hamun."

"Teal'c," the man answered and turned to all of them. "Your friend is in the dream cave."

"Dream what?" Jack sat up slowly. He knew he shouldn't, and his head felt like it was about to fall off, but this was important. And no matter how many stern looks Teal'c gave him, he didn't care.

Hamun looked him straight in the eye. "The poison will make your friend dream. The dreams teach. If he learns from them, then he may wake up."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"May wake up?" Carter had panic written all over her face. "What happened?"

"Daniel has been bitten by one of those creatures," Jack explained as he steeled himself to stand, wanting Hamun to take them to Daniel straight away. Maybe they could take him home in time for Doc Fraiser to heal him. These people weren't doing anything.

"Your friend is strong, we have no doubt he will wake," Hamun stated then in a calm voice. "It has been a long time ago that the poison killed anyone."

"Long time ago, hey?" Jack let out a deep sigh, steadying himself on the stone bench while slowly standing up. "Oh, for crying out loud." Spots danced in front of his eyes, and before he knew it he was sitting again with Teal'c's steady hand holding his arm.

"You may see your friend, of course." Hamun seemed to have read his mind. Well, great. Maybe the guy also knew a way out of these tunnels? To get Daniel the hell out of here?

* * *

Faces were everywhere. Daniel could see them clearly, and their names were very clear to him as well. He just couldn't figure out how he once knew them. How they'd become his friends.

There was a cold feeling of hopelessness washing over him as he reached out to touch them. To ask them what he didn't know anymore. What he'd lost. He didn't even know why he'd lost these feelings he had about them. It made him not only feel hopeless, but very alone.

He cried out to them while they were just standing there, staring at him. There was worry in their glances. He didn't understand why. Was he so different from them? Why were these people his friends?

Emotions came to the surface with those faces. They tumbled through him like a tidal wave. A wave crashing on the beach. The faces brought him names, and the names brought him memories.

Jack telling him their friendship had no foundation, Jack yelling at him, but also apologizing. Them bickering about stuff, but also making up with a beer on Jack's rooftop.

Sam asking his advice about something, her bringing him cookies after Sha're died. Hugging him when she found out he wasn't dead when they came back from destroying Apophis' ships. Her smile.

Teal'c taking Sha're's life. Talking to the Jaffa while performing Kel'no reem. Asking the Jaffa's advice about the Harsesis child. The quiet warrior always there in the corner of his eye, looking out for him.

The team BBQ's at Jack's cabin in Minnesota. No fish in the pond. Feelings of belonging to a team, and doing things that were important to the world.

Suddenly pain swept through him, and he gasped. Pain so intense, that it felt like he was melting on the inside. Pain in his very soul, as if nothing they accomplished as a team together ever mattered.

He chose to leave them, to ascend. It was his choice because he felt he wasn't able to do what he wanted to do. Ascend to fulfil greater dreams, and do more good. Make a difference. But had he?

This wasn't right. His team, his friends were important. And he'd left them, he left them. A cry of anguish tried to escape his mouth, but nothing came out. He needed them. They were like family. He felt tears run down his cheeks, tears of sadness for them, tears of joy for finally remembering, even though it hurt so much.

* * *

Jack's feet were wearing a hole in the floor. He was restless and the dark made his thoughts very dark as well. He felt like shit. Still had a major headache and the inside of one ear felt like a jackhammer. He walked to the boom, boom, boom in that ear.

Hamun had brought them to another cave, with a lighter green colour. Daniel was lying on a similar bench Jack had woken up on. Feeling the way he felt, and Daniel being out of it, he didn't dare risk getting them the hell out of here right now. They needed a good plan.

Carter had told them about the Teirgram aliens as well, and it didn't feel right to try and get to the Gate now, while they weren't at their best. The Teirgram would no doubt try and stop them from leaving. He knew that the Mons Montis meant them no harm, of course, and maybe, just maybe, they were right about Daniel?

Still, it had been hours, and Daniel wasn't waking up. Jack was scared. Yes, for the first time in a long time, he felt scared again. He couldn't deal with this, not again. Not now, not ever.

"Look."

Jack looked up and followed the sound of Carter's voice.

"What is it, Major?"

"I think Daniel's crying, sir."

"Wha, what?"

Jack almost stumbled to the bed Daniel was on. Carter had been sitting there for at least an hour, cooling down their friend's face with a wet cloth. She couldn't be convinced to take a nap. Heck, he didn't want to take a nap either while Daniel was in this, this, coma thing. He preferred to call it sleep.

Her face in the greenish light looked troubled. It probably mirrored his own face. He stared at Daniel's form on the bed, and realised it was too dark to really see his face. He felt irritated.

"I can feel it, Colonel," was all Carter said. She took his hand and before he could pull back, she let his fingers touch Daniel's cheek. It was wet. She was right. God, she was right. And this wasn't from the damp cloth she'd been using.

He swallowed hard. What kind of nightmares were troubling Daniel? Why wasn't he waking up? "I'll sit with Daniel for a while, Major. Go and get some rest."

"We need to get him home, sir."

"Yeah, that could be a problem," Jack almost snapped at her, "Teirgram up there guarding the Gate, Gollums in the tunnels on our way out, and hey, an unconscious Daniel."

He was sorry the second his rant was over. He could see her worry and knew it also hadn't been easy for her. She had been scared for them almost since they arrived on this bloody planet. And she had found the location of the Gate for them. He should thank her for that the minute they were home. Safe and sound.

"Sorry, Carter."

She nodded, not saying anything but making room for him to sit down on the bed next to Daniel.

* * *

Daniel could hear voices. They were far away, but they sounded familiar. There was a fog inside his head he couldn't explain. It was hard to concentrate on those voices. But he knew that he needed to. To know what was going on, and to remember where he was.

The strange dream he'd had left him exhausted, but he remembered it. Remembered it all. His friends, who wanted the best for him. Who were so happy he was back. But was he? He couldn't remember how he got here, and what was going on right now. His chest was hurting like there was someone standing on it, and the fog was persistent.

With all his strength he tried to open his eyes. Nothing seemed to happen, and a low grunt of frustration and pain left his lips. Maybe the voices would hear it? Was it a good or a bad thing if they did?

Suddenly one of the voices was close to his face. He could feel its breath on his cheek. "I think he might be waking up," the voice said. Daniel felt his breath stick in his throat. It was Jack. Jack was there. He'd thought he'd lost him? He couldn't be sure. "Daniel, can you hear me?"

Daniel felt relieved. His friend was with him. Maybe even the team, as he'd heard other voices.

He needed to let Jack know he was definitely awake. Although he couldn't move or open his eyes, which was scary.

"Are you sure?" It was Sam's voice.

"Yeah, I'm sure, Carter," Jack replied sounding as frustrated as he felt. "It's not just wishful thinking here, I heard him grunt."

"I didn't hear anything," she answered and Daniel could smell her shampoo as she came very close to his face as well.

Trying with all his might, he let out a loud "argh." But the only sound escaping his lips was a soft mumble. Almost unnoticeable. God, he hoped they had heard it.

"There," Jack said. "See?"

"You're right."

"Hamun, what does it mean?" It was Jack again, talking to some other person, it seemed. Daniel didn't recognize the name or the voice.

"It means he will wake up soon." Hamun sounded confident. Daniel liked confident, because this whole situation was scary. Him not being able to move was scary. "We will give him something that will help, and then you may take him home."

"Ah, yeah, home." Jack's voice dripped with sarcasm. "And how do we do that?"

So, he wasn't home? They were someplace else? Daniel tried to remember what had been going on in the last couple of days, but his mind came up empty. Damn it. He remembered his friends and their connection to each other, and now he forgot where he was?

A cool hand touched his cheek, making him flinch inwardly, although his friends probably couldn't see it. It wasn't Jack or Sam's hand. Was this the Hamun guy? The hand moved to his lips and Daniel felt something brush over them. It smelled weird.

"Do you really think that'll help?" Jack asked from far away.

"He needs to wake up and remember everything." Hamun said, and now slowly pried open Daniel's lips, pushing something sticky into his mouth. The taste burned on his tongue and he wanted to gag. But he couldn't.

This couldn't be good. He had to wake up, let them know it wasn't needed. But before he could even let out another grunt or mumble, he felt himself drift towards darkness. Drift towards a deep sleep. It felt okay actually, because he was so tired.

He let go…

* * *

Jack felt tense and relieved at the same time. Daniel would be fine, but they had to get him out of here. They all needed to get out of here. And no one had come up with a plan yet. He guessed they had all been too worried about Daniel to think straight? Nah, that was so unprofessional. It made him flinch on the inside. He guessed they were all on edge because they had lost Daniel once before? Yes, that could be it. Not going to happen this time, he reminded himself.

Like she could read his mind, Carter suddenly jumped, startling him. "I have an idea." Her eyes were actually lighting up. It was like some kind of eureka moment where you see a light bulb above someone's head? Well, Jack was almost certain he had seen it shine. And he was grateful for it, because Carter was the best.

"Well, don't keep us waiting, Major."

"We need to find a way to lead a group of Senkgrad into the domed city. This way the Teirgram will be too busy saving themselves while we make our way to the Gate."

"A distraction." Teal'c looked pleased. "There must be a tunnel entrance leading to the Gate."

"I think there is, sir." Carter looked at Hamun. "They didn't want me to drift off the path when we were up there. Have you ever actually seen the Stargate?"

"Yes, and we know of such a way," Hamun answered. He looked worried, a small frown between his brows, almost like Daniel. Daniel… Jack swallowed trying to focus on the plan at hands. He now knew his friend would wake up. It was a matter of time.

"Will you show us?" Teal'c asked.

Hamun looked totally uncomfortable now, but he slowly nodded. "Yes, I will. So you can take your friend home and you can all heal." He turned towards Carter. "I do not know how we can lead the Senkgrad into the dome city. They fear the light and would never walk in there voluntarily."

"Maybe we can blow up a tunnel?" Jack really wouldn't mind some Gollums running for their lives, even though he knew it wasn't the best option. The whole tunnel system could come crashing down on them. Jeez, where was his brain today? "Sorry, stupid idea."

"Dangerous, sir, but it could work," Carter agreed with a serious look on her face. "It's a last option, though."

"Maybe we can lure them out with food?" Jack asked. "T here always follows his stomach when he's hungry." When Teal'c lifted his brow he quickly continued. "What do these sink rats eat?"

"Senkgrad," Hamun offered in a serious voice.

"Whatever."

"And they eat… us." Hamun said it without even blinking. Like it was all in a day's business to be eaten by stinky creatures with scales. It gave Jack goose bumps. Not only because of Hamun's confession, but also because he just realized how lucky they'd been.

"That's awful," Carter exclaimed, looking more shocked then Jack did. "Can't you prevent this from happening?"

Hamun nodded. "We keep them out with the Viridus that makes our light, but occasionally one of them gets through our defences and our people succumb to it. It doesn't happen very often, but it happens."

Jack didn't like where this conversation was going. "Anything 'else' they eat?"

"Sir." Carter lifted one finger, and he knew he wouldn't like what she had to say. "Maybe blood will lure them into the city? We only have to make sure the wall between the tunnels and the room behind it, the one I came through is open."

Then she suddenly swallowed as if thinking it over once more. "The Teirgram didn't do me any harm at all, so maybe there's another way?" She said it in a soft voice.

"They deliberately breed the creatures to kill the Mons Montis, Carter. You told me you've heard that yourself, and seen it." Jack didn't like it either, but there it was. "You don't owe them any favors, and we need that distraction. I don't say we have to get involved in local politics, right or wrong. All I know is that we need to take Daniel home, and these people here are willing to help us."

"I know." Carter bit her lip. "But I prefer a bloodless distraction, no pun intended."

Hamun had been looking from one to the other, and now stepped forward in a way that almost made Jack grin. "We will lead you to the cave that leads to the ring, and we will get a gurney for Daniel to be transported on."

"Up to us to provide some blood now, I guess." Jack turned to Teal'c as Hamun hurried away. "Wanna donate some?"

Carter looked at him, a startled look. "Sir, do you think that's a good idea, considering the tretonin he needs and..."

"I will," Teal'c stated, not looking worried at all.

"Are you sure, Teal'c?" Carter asked.

"I am."

"Good." Jack turned to Carter, ignoring her gaping mouth. "But what of the Gate's transport thingy?"

"That only works when you actually touch the ground in front of the pedestal." Carter sounded confident now. "They told me how it worked."

"And you didn't feel like sharing that before?"

"Our first concern was Daniel, sir." She looked slightly offended.

Before he could reply Hamun and some of his men came back. They were carrying a stretcher made of branches from trees that grew on the mountain. Some of the leaves were still sticking out. It definitely looked sturdy enough to carry Daniel home.

"Will this do, Colonel?" he asked Jack.

"Definitely." He studied the stretcher for a bit then turned to Carter who was giving Teal'c her Swiss army knife and a little plastic bag. "Is there any more useful stuff in your vest, Major?"

"Colonel?" Hamun tugged his sleeve to get his attention. "We have discussed your plan, and my men will make sure that it is done. They know the way."

"You mean, you want to walk around carrying Teal'c's blood?" He let out a grin. "You go with them, Major. I don't want them to do this alone."

"Yes, sir."

Jack now looked the other way while Teal'c made a superficial cut in his lower left arm. He had seen enough blood to last a lifetime, so he didn't necessarily needed to see it drip in the plastic bag. He watched Carter rifling through her vest pockets.

"Bandage to use on Teal'c's arm." She pulled it out. "And I have my Beretta and C4."

Jack took the Beretta. It felt good to finally carry a weapon again. Then he checked out the C4. "That's enough to blow a hole in that wall you described, Major. If you put it on timer it'll give you and the men enough time to make it out before all hell breaks loose."

Sam looked at Hamun who was instructing his men. "I thought we weren't sure it's good idea to use explosives?"

Jack shrugged. "We were talking about using it in the tunnels. You only need enough C4 to blow a hole in the wall, not to take it down."

He really wanted to be there himself, but he knew he couldn't. Not with the way he was feeling at the moment. Plus he and Teal'c were needed to carry Daniel's stretcher to safety. Carter would have to make it back to where they would be waiting.

Jack gestured to Hamun and the small group of men who were going with Carter to execute their plan. Make a trail of blood from the exit wall into the tunnels, set the timer, wait for the Senkgrad to be near the exit, blow a hole and get the hell out of there before the Teirgram came to investigate and the Senkgrad escaped into the domed city. Piece of cake.

His main concern was Carter finding them afterwards. They had no way of communication, as she only had one radio. Jack knew this was in the hands of the Mons Montis, and he didn't like that one bit.

The men looked sturdy and capable, ready to act. Jack suddenly felt grateful. These people were doing this for complete strangers. For them. He wondered if he would do the same.

"Okay guys," he started. "It's time for some instructions. Gather round."

* * *

Sam followed the small group of four Mons Montis men through the tunnels. Even with their assurance that the Senkgrad would keep a distance because of the light bowls, she had a tight grip on her P90. One of the men was carrying the small bag with Teal'c's blood.

Thinking about it too much had set her teeth on edge. Teal'c had not been looking all too well. Sweat had been standing on his head. Sam knew it was the need for Tretonin. She hadn't wanted to comment on it again.

Today was the day of their escape. It had to be. Or Teal'c might get serious health issues. She knew the Colonel knew as well, or he would probably have sent Teal'c instead of her. No, that wasn't right. He needed Teal'c to carry Daniel's stretcher. Yes, that was it.

While Teal'c could last a little while longer without the Tretonin, the longer they waited, the more the chance they'd be carrying him out as well.

"We are near," one of the men walking next to her whispered. "The exit wall is around this next corner."

"Good," Sam replied. "Let's be careful now. I'll go first." Suddenly considering something, she turned to the man. "Will the Teirgram fire any weapons if we bump into them?" She hadn't seen weapons of any kind in the domed city while she was investigating.

"They have small hand weapons," the man answered. "But they do not have a long range. Their weapons are the Senkgrad, although they can no more control them then they can control the sun from rising."

Sam suddenly thought about her missing Zat gun. What if they had figured out how to use it against them? She should have looked for it while investigating the city. She had been too happy about still having her P90. Now it could bite them in the butt. Or maybe she was just paranoid, thinking too much. This should work, they would escape this planet.

She looked around a corner of the tunnel they were in and could see the outlining of the wall she had come through not that long ago. There was no one in sight and she raised a hand to stop the Mons Montis from making any noise. Not that they were, but just in case.

Sam took the C4 out of her right vest pocket and turned to her escort. She pointed at the C4, at the entrance wall and at the small bag of blood and raised her hand. Five minutes for them to make a trail and get away from the blast.

While they turned and went back into the tunnel to make the trail, she slowly crept towards the wall. C4 in one hand. Timer and ignition in the other. She had done this a million times before, use C4 to blow up something. But it always set her teeth on edge to work with explosives.

Sam pushed herself against the wall, listening intently if she could hear something on the other side. She held her breath but all was quiet. She quickly set the C4 and turned to go back into the tunnel.

Suddenly a strong hand grabbed her arm out of nowhere and she could barely contain the urge to curse. It was one of the Mons Montis men who stared at her with an apologetic look on his face, while he let go of her arm, the glow of the viridus light bowl he was holding shining in her face.

"We have to hide, and we know just the place," the man whispered in an excited voice. "Quick, before the Senkgrad come. They can smell blood from miles away."

Sam quickly followed him, and they turned a corner or two away from the exit wall. There was a small but deep alcove in a part of the solid wall. How convenient. The other three men were already crouched there, softly whispering to each other.

When Sam and their friend pushed themselves into the alcove, everyone felt silent. She looked at her watch while the men took some sort of sand out of a small bag one was carrying and they put it on the viridus light bowls. And then it was pitch black.

"One minute," Sam whispered in a tense voice.

It felt like forever, but suddenly Sam could hear light footsteps and soft whispering from not too far away. The whispering was accompanied by a loud screech or two that gave her goose bumps. The Senkgrad were on their way. Not long and the wall would blow up. She hoped the aliens wouldn't run from it. That their hunger for blood was stronger.

Sam hadn't even processed the thought before a loud explosion shook the tunnels and everyone in it. The walls around them trembled, and Sam pushed herself against the wall like it would help to stop the wall from falling on top of all of them. Had she overdone it with the C4?

It was too dark to see anything, and that added to the discomfort of the sounds and movement. Sam could feel a slight panic creeping up inside of her. God, she so didn't want to die in some dark alien tunnel like this. Her father would kill her.

The sound of the explosion was replaced by more screeching. Louder as well. And when the walls stopped shaking Sam held her breath once more, hoping the Senkgrad wouldn't find them standing in this small alcove. She slowly raised her P90 and gritted her teeth. Was there still a way out of here?

The screeching seemed to pass them, and other sounds reached Sam's ears. The loud yells of surprised people. The people of the Teirgram. The Senkgrad were on the move through the wall and into the room behind it. And into the city. These were the sounds of chaos. And she could hear screams in terror and the sounds of a loud alarm bell.

They did it, but Sam felt like she sort of betrayed those people in that domed city. And when one of the Mons Montis pulled her sleeve and she stumbled after him into the darkness, away from all the chaos and terror, she could feel tears coming to her eyes.

They'd done it, but at what price?

* * *

Hamun and two of his friends had carried Daniel's stretcher for a long way, their bowls of green light shining through the tunnels. Teal'c had switched places with one of them frequently. The Jaffa hadn't wanted Jack to help, because he was still walking around with a concussion. And T was right, of course. The adrenaline kept Jack going, but he felt like crap. Even though T could probably used some tretonin himself. Daniel, of course, needed medical help.

Jack had lost all sense of time, a thing that seemed to happen in these tunnels. Carter had told him earlier on that she also experienced the same sort of dazed feeling. He hated it when his mind was half-asleep. Being alert kept you alive.

While stumbling through the tunnels, he'd watched Daniel closely. There hadn't been any movement or sound from his friend since Hamun had given him some kind of slimy root. He sort of trusted Hamun knew what he'd been doing. Sort of.

The man's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "There's the cave, just up ahead. We have to be careful now. Sometimes the Teirgram guard the cave as well as the ring. We can wait here for your friend Carter to join us."

"No signs of the diversion and Carter yet," Jack whispered, moving over to Teal'c. He got his silent order to stand guard. "Hamun, you stay back with your men and Daniel. We'll check out the cave before Carter joins us."

The moment he moved forward, his berretta raised in his hands, Carter's voice suddenly reached his ear from further away out of the tunnel to their left, making him stop dead in his tracks. "Crap."

"Sir?" She quickly came their way, two of the Mons Montis were with her, a huge grin on their normally serene faces. It looked odd. Carter looked troubled though.

"Hamun, Colonel Jack?" one of the men said.

"Did it work?"

"The Teirgram have raised the alarm," the man said in a triumphant voice. "This is a good day."

"Yes or no will do," Jack grunted. "Are we safe to move out?"

"Yes, sir." Carter let out a nervous cough. "It happened like we wanted it to happen. The Teirgram came running as soon as we blew up the wall. At the same time a large Senkgrad group ran into the city, as far as we could tell from our point of view, of course. We could hear more than see it actually."

"You are safe to leave, Colonel Jack," the man said. "This exit cave to the ring is far enough from the exit cave to the city. The Teirgram and Senkgrad will not bother you now."

"Good, thank you." Jack let out a huge sigh and felt a little embarrassed about the Colonel Jack line. Looking at Carter's small grin, it would be something he would have to endure at base now for sure.

He gestured at her to lead the way. She was the one with the P90 after all. The berretta suddenly felt kind of small in his hand. The Teirgram could still have a guard or two near this exit, and near the Gate for that matter.

Carter squeezed through the small entrance to the cave. Jack was right behind her, and almost got stuck. The entrance really was narrow. He wondered how to get the stretcher with Daniel through. Or if Teal'c would be able to push himself through in the first place.

"Major, gimme a hand."

She had scanned the cave, and he guessed it was empty as she turned, shining the flashlight on top of her P90 in his face. He couldn't see her face, but he was betting on a huge smile.

"Do you mind?"

"Oh, sorry, sir."

She grabbed a hold of his arm and pulled. Jack held in his stomach and slowly slipped through the opening. No way would Teal'c be able to go through it, he thought, while letting out a huge breath of air he'd been holding. Leaning back, he saw Teal'c on the other side staring at him.

"I cannot pass, O'Neill."

"I know."

"What are our options?"

"Excuse me, Teal'c," Hamun said and stood next to the entrance. Lifting one finger, he seemed to push something on his side on the wall. Slowly with a loud grinding sound, the walls of the entrance opened up just enough for Teal'c and the stretcher to get through.

Jack felt baffled and lifted his eyebrows, staring at Hamun. "And you didn't think of sharing this before I lost some of my skin?"

Carter let out a small puff of air next to him, probably trying not to laugh. It was good to hear this, as she had looked upset when she had joined them.

"Oh, yeah, very funny, Major."

"There's the ring." Hamun pointed while squinting against the direct sunlight outside the small cave. "We cannot come with you; we have to return to our people." His men and Teal'c carefully put down the stretcher. Daniel didn't move.

Jack also squinted a little to have a good look at the Gate. Then he turned to Carter. "Weren't there guards the last time you were there?"

"Yes, sir." She put out the light on her P90, looking worried. "Maybe they are waiting to ambush us?"

"Or they have been called into the dome city to assist their comrades?" Teal'c suggested.

"Well, it's time to find out." Jack didn't want to wait any longer. He felt like his head was about to explode again, and he was feeling light headed. A little voice in his mind told him that using a gun while feeling this way wasn't a brilliant idea. So, he hoped they wouldn't encounter anyone. That was probably too good to be true though.

Jack grasped Hamun's hand. "Will your people be safe?"

"The Teirgram fear to enter most of the tunnel system, so yes." Hamun gave Jack a smile. "We'll manage."

"Thanks, Hamun." Jack smiled back at him. "And all the best."

"You are welcome," Hamun answered and then he and his men turned and disappeared into the dark tunnel at the back of the cave.

"That is a good man," Teal'c stated.

"Yes, he is," Jack replied. "Now, let's pick up Daniel's stretcher and get the hell out of Dodge."

"Dodge?"

"Never mind, T."

"We have to be careful not to touch the ground in front of the pedestal." Carter lifted her P90 and peered out of the cave. "Still no one in sight, let's go."

Jack and Teal'c lifted the stretcher and followed Carter outside. Suddenly realising he wasn't wearing a jacket or any shoes, Jack flinched at the cold ground. Teal'c didn't seem to have

any problems, although Jack knew he must have tretonin issues now, so Jack sucked it in and concentrated on keeping the stretcher straight while following Carter to the Gate.

His head pounded in rhythm with his steps. But they were almost there. There was no Teirgram in sight, and they were going to make it. "Dial it up, Carter."

She ran out before them, her P90 still raised, looking around.

Suddenly she stopped and Jack looked up. A man in white clothes with white hair was standing in front of the DHD. Damn it, where had he come from this fast? Was it an ambush after all? He lowered the stretcher and grabbed for his berretta.

"Gypt," he heard Carter say in a steady voice. "Let us leave through the Stargate, we mean you no harm."

"You have dishonoured our trust, Carter." Gypt pointed towards them. "And now the outcast has defiled our beautiful world. You all need to be punished."

The man raised his hand, like he was about to use some kind of weapon. Jack stumbled as Teal'c quickly put down his end of the stretcher and ran towards Carter. Jack had seen these kinds of things before. Alien people would raise their hands, and something bad would happen. They could prevent it, as it seemed like this Gypt guy was alone.

"Major, shoot him!" Jack shouted, crouching and protectively placing his hand on Daniel's chest, aiming his berretta himself but he didn't dare shoot. He was still feeling dizzy, and he was afraid he would hit Carter or Teal'c. "Do it!"

"I'm sorry, Gypt." Carter moved quickly, raised her fist and hit the man straight on the jaw. He went down like a bag of potatoes.

"Damn it, Major," Jack muttered to himself. Although he had to admit she'd done good. Not that he would tell her that any time soon, of course. With a loud sigh he lowered his gun looking down at Daniel when his two team mates came his way. "We're going home, buddy. Hang in there." Then he blinked up at Carter. "Dial us home, Carter."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Jack couldn't remember what made woke him up. It was dark in the infirmary and a slight feeling of panic came over him. It was dark, like those tunnels. The darkness of the tunnels. Him and Daniel falling down, getting hurt. It rushed through him while he stared into the dim light of the room. Jack couldn't move, he just lay there, trying to get his feelings under control.

The last year or so had been damn hard. Going on without Daniel had taken its toll on him. He'd never really admit it to anyone, but he guessed his team knew him well enough to see. They hadn't pressed him. Not even about Jonas. He was grateful to them for that.

And then Daniel had come back to them. Not as 'the' ascended being, but as himself, minus his memories. Jack would have done anything to help his friend restore them.

On the planet Hamun had told him Daniel would remember. Remember what? His past? His friends? Him? Or just his time on the planet or his time as Glowy the Angel? Jack sniggered to himself in the dimness of the infirmary. They would find out soon enough when Daniel woke up. And Jack would be there, no doubt. Fraiser might want to keep him in bed, but no ten Asgard would keep him away.

"Colonel?"

A voice next to his bed startled him. His nerves were still on edge after their mission, and he swallowed. "Doc?"

It was Janet Fraiser. Did that woman ever sleep? She reached out and took his pulse. "I saw you were awake, how are you feeling?"

"Peachy." To be honest, Jack didn't really know how he felt at the moment. Doc Fraiser didn't have to know that, of course. The best way to avoid further questions was to ask questions himself. "How's Daniel?"

"Colonel." She didn't fall for it.

"I need to know, Doc." Jack put on his best pleading face.

"Will you go back to sleep after I've told you?"

"Scout's honor."

"Okay." She looked at him with a slight grin playing on her lips. "According to my tests, it seems as if Daniel's in a deep sleep. Not exactly a coma. Almost like when Shifu was on base. Not the same but similar. There's one thing that's pretty incredible and that's there's no sign of venom in his system, and his ribs are nearly healed. Whatever they gave him, it's a miracle drug. I am confident he will wake up soon, although it seems to have healed his fractured ribs but don't ask me how."

"I hope he wakes up soon," Jack replied, feeling still a little tense.

"Get some sleep."

"And how's Teal'c?"

"Sleep."

"Doc."

"He's okay. Got his shot of tretonin just in time. Now, sleep."

"Yeah, thanks."

Jack closed his eyes when Fraiser walked away, thinking about what she'd just said. Daniel's sleep was healing both his mind and body? That sounded amazing. Almost too good to be true. If the SGC could get their hands on whatever the Mons Montis had given Daniel, it could do a lot of good on Earth. Jack hoped there were no side effects though, like the sarcophagus.

No, he needed to believe in the stuff. For Daniel's sake, for his sake. He should have brought some along to Fraiser for study. Damn him for thinking about it only just now. Maybe they should get permission to visit the planet once more?

* * *

Daniel heard those familiar voices again. The fog in his head was gone this time though, and he knew he would be able to talk to them. To his friends.

"Jack?"

"I'm here, Daniel."

A firm hand landed on his shoulder, as he slowly opened his eyes feeling more than a little confused. He saw a bright light above him and the smell was very familiar as well. He looked into the brown eyes of Jack O'Neill. Eyes that looked very worried.

"I'm, okay, Jack." He had to soften the pain in those eyes. His friend, correction, best friend, shouldn't worry like this because of him, ever again.

The emotions about their true connection came crashing in on Daniel with full force, and tears sprang to his eyes. Why had he chosen to go away, to ascend, and leave this caring man, his best friend, all alone?

He blinked back tears that were threatening to appear and grabbed Jack's hand, not really aware of his surroundings. Not caring, either. This was just so intense, and it was too overwhelming.

"Daniel?" Now Jack's voice sounded even more worried. The hand he was holding was holding on to his now, like it was an extension of his own. He couldn't speak, he had to, but he couldn't.

"You remember, don't you." It wasn't a question, it was more of a statement, and he was grateful that Jack at least could voice what he was trying to say to him. This man knew him pretty well. Another correction. Jack knew him very well.

He nodded, still blinking and probably looking like an idiot doing so.

"It's okay." Jack's worried look turned into a smile.

Yeah. Daniel saw trust in those eyes and knew it would be. They would be. No more lost thoughts and feelings, dwelling around in darkness. He now knew the truth. He still wasn't sure how it happened, though.

With Jack smiling down at him, it all seemed to come back. The last couple of days. Roaming around in those dark caves, those aliens. Falling, Jack getting hurt. It seemed to crash in on him, making him gasp and really look around for the first time since he'd opened his eyes.

Jack gave his hand a friendly squeeze. "You're in the infirmary. We're all home, safe and sound."

Familiar faces next to Jack's were looking down at him. Smiling. Even Teal'c seemed to give a good impression of a true smile.

"It is good to see you are doing well, Daniel Jackson."

"Hey, Daniel." Sam smiled at him. "Glad to see you're awake."

Tears almost threatened to appear again, and he swallowed. "Thank you, all of you."

"For what?" Sam asked.

"For being my friends," Daniel answered and felt it was true. Felt the connection he had lost when he'd descended.

He had true friends, a family. People who would go to hell and back, just for him. He would do the same for them. It was all he had ever wanted.

The End.


End file.
